If you would like to nominate a DBA, or yourself, for the 2010 Exceptional DBA Award, please visit the www.exceptionaldba.com website and complete the nomination form. Nominations close on June 4, 2010, so you need to make your nomination soon.

The winner of the award will receive a trophy; a SQL Toolbelt license with 36 months support and upgrades worth $3,492; a full conference pass for the 2010 PASS Community Summit worth up to $1,795; plus four nights hotel accommodations and $300 towards travel expenses to attend the Summit. The award will be presented at the SQLServerCentral.com Party, held after the Summit’s Welcome Reception on the initial night of the Summit.

Once all of the nominations are made, a list of five finalists will be selected by a panel of judges, which include Brad McGehee, Director of DBA Education for Red Gate Software; Steve Jones, Editor of SQLServerCentral.com; Rodney Landrum, DBA and author; and Josef Richberg, the 2009 winner of the Exceptional DBA Award. Once five finalists are selected by the judges, then the winner will be selected by a combination of popular votes from members of SQLServerCentral.com, and the judges.

As a judge for the past two years, I have seen all the nominations that have been submitted. Based on these nominations, the best piece of advice I can give you if you nominate yourself, or another DBA, is to include as much detail as you can when you answer each question. I would also suggest that you first write out your answers to the questions in Word, taking the time to ensure that your responses are complete, and that your writing is up to snuff. Once you are happy with the responses, then cut and paste your answers into the nomination form. If you follow this advice, it will put you ahead of the majority of the nominees.

So take some time to visit the www.exceptionaldba.com website and check out how the nomination and award process works. Then if you feel you are an Exceptional DBA, or know of an Exceptional DBA you would like to nominate, please do so before the June 4th, 2010 deadline.